Pillow construction

ABSTRACT

A pillow construction is designed to provide a user desirable support to the head and neck of a user, air permeability, ventilation, and air-cooling, to maintain a healthy thermal homeostatis by covering with a breathable cover sheet and a predetermined arrangement of apertures. The pillow construction comprises a head support having a hollow case, made by a solid-state or semi-solid-state material, wherein at least one aperture is formed on a plurality of horizontally opposed side walls on an exterior surface of the head support. A buffer material or a damper material may be selected to be attached onto the surface of the head support for the purpose of enhanced elastic support. A set of holes or slits may be selected to be formed on the surface of the head support to facilitate air convection.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a pillow construction, and moreparticularly to a pillow construction, wherein a head support having ahollow case in which a surface area of said hollow case is covered by aplurality of apertures, and coated with breathable material to achieve arange of air permeability, circulation, and cooling.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Sleeping is an essential physiological function for energy restorationin life. In fact, studies have shown that sleep duration of seven toeight hours per day is generally an optimal amount in humans. Regularsleep schedule and good environment for sleeping are instrumental instaying healthy and performing up to one's potential during daytimefunctioning, and as such, it is a necessity to maintain a healthyoutlook on the environment and quality of the activity. On the otherhand, a poorly arranged sleep environment can be a contributing factorcausing sleep deprivation and other sleep intervention. In view of this,a proper sleep support, of which including a pillow, has a distinctiveeffect on improving sleep quality.

However, the pillow construction of the prior art has the followingdrawbacks:

1. Disclosures showing pillows made of foam materials have showninsufficient support to elevate the head during sleep due to extrasoftness, and higher susceptibility to shape change as caused byexternal depression.

2. Disclosures showing pillows made of wooden materials, thoughfeaturing great support to the head, have shown to be overly stiff andshort of a desirable degree of air ventilation.

3. Disclosures showing pillows having filling materials such as beans ortea leaves have shown to possess weak air permeability and support tothe head, while at the same time, not suitable to all users.

4. Disclosures disclosing pillows that use natural cotton, syntheticcotton, woolen, have shown to provide poor support and air ventilation,as well as higher susceptibility to shape change after a prolongedperiod of use.

On the other hand, particular attention is paid to dealing withbreathability during hot seasons for the purpose of avoidinghyperthermia in the head, hypoxia during sleep, therefore affectingblood flow, and quality of sleep.

In view of the above, a pillow, which is designed with consideration ofimproved air circulation in conjunction with application of a breathablecover sheet, and which can provide a reliable physiological support, isa desired sleep accessory, which can establish a state in which the headand neck region is maintained cool and the feet region is maintainedwarm.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Seen against this background, it is an object of the present inventionto provide a pillow construction defined in the introduction of abreathable cover sheet which enfolds upon the contact region between auser and the pillow construction, a set of apertures, slits, holes, andcontoured surface upon the pillow construction, of which the assemblyhas an enhancing effect on air circulation to provide a sleep accessoryexhibiting breathable, oxygen-filled, well-ventilated, and air coolingfeatures, so as to sustain a preferred regulation of sleep thermalhomeostatis, in which the head and neck region is maintained cool andthe feet region is maintained warm.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a pillowconstruction, in which the head support is preferably made ofsolid-state materials or semi-solid-state materials, thereforestabilizing the pillow construction, for the purpose of making it lesssubject to shape transformation, while at the same time, giving it morematerial strength to support the weight of head and neck of a user.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a pillowconstruction, in which the head support is applied with either dampermaterials or buffer materials, or a combination of both, to optimize thestretchiness of the pillow construction in such way to make for soft andcomfortable, and shock absorbing effects, whereby improving the comfortlevel in sleep.

A pillow construction for the purpose of achieving the inventiveconcepts noted above has been designed in the present invention,incorporating an arranged combination of a head support, breathablecover sheet, buffer material and damper material; wherein, the headsupport has a hollow case that defines an interior structure of the headsupport, and at least one aperture is formed on a plurality ofhorizontally opposed side walls on an exterior surface of the headsupport, which further has a breathable cover sheet that directly coversthe exterior surface of the head support thereon. The exterior surfaceof the head support is applied with either damper materials or buffermaterials, or a combination of both, to optimize the stretchiness of thepillow construction in such way to make for a soft and comfortablefeeling during sleep. Furthermore, the head support can have at leastone slit or hole formed on the exterior surface of the head support foruse in conjunction with at least one aperture formed on a plurality ofhorizontally opposed side walls on the exterior surface of the headsupport to enhance air circulation within the pillow construction,therefore providing more oxygen supply to the user. In summaryhighlighting the combination mentioned above, the present inventionadopts a breathable wrapper covering the exterior of a head support, anda set of aperture, to enhance air flow within the head support, while atthe same time, provides structural support to the head and neck of auser, air permeability, ventilation, and air-cooling to the structure ofthe head support, for at least the purposes to maintain a healthythermal homeostatis of the user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A and 1B are a top isometric view of a first component and a topisometric view of a second component, respectively, showing a firstembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top isometric view showing a second embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C are three top isometric views showing a thirdembodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 4A and 4B are two top isometric views showing a fourth embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a top isometric view showing a fifth embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIGS. 6A and 6B are two top isometric views showing a sixth embodimentof the present invention; FIG. 6C is a longitudinal cross-sectional viewshowing the sixth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a top isometric view showing a seventh embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing an eighthembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9A is a top isometric view showing a user interacting with thefirst embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 9B is a longitudinalcross-sectional view showing the first embodiment of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 10 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating a userinteracting with the second embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Turning now to FIGS. 1A and 1B, a detailed description concerning thevarious components of the head support 1 will now be provided, whichincludes: a head support 1, which is preferably made of solid-statematerials or semi-solid-state materials for the purpose of giving itmore material strength to support the weight of head and neck of a user;and which has a hollow case that defines an interior structure of thehead support, for the purpose of adding more buffering effect to thehead support; and which has at least one aperture formed on a pluralityof horizontally opposed side walls on an exterior surface of the headsupport for the purpose of enhancing air circulation. The head support 1further includes a breathable cover sheet 2 that directly covers theexterior surface of the head support 1, so as to wrap around the body ofhead support 1. The head support 1 may be made of a material selectedfrom the group consisting of plastic material, polymeric plasticmaterial, metallic material, wooden material, and bamboo for the purposeof good support to the head.

The present invention takes advantage of improved air circulation madeas a result of the use of apertures to provide us a breathable,well-ventilated, and air-cooling sleep accessory, so as to achieve aresting state with well regulated thermal homeostatis.

Additionally, the breathable cover sheet 2 may be made from a materialselected from a group of mesh fabrics, cotton cloth, textile or foamlaminated fabric.

With reference to FIG. 2, the inventive departure from the embodiment asillustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B is that, the head support 1 has a set ofslits 12 formed on the exterior surface of the head support 1, whilealso takes advantage of apertures 11 on the exterior surface of the headsupport 1 to facilitate air flow within the head support. In addition tothe above structural difference, other structural features of theembodiment as disclosed in FIG. 2 are reiterated and therefore referredback to the disclosure as in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B.

With reference now to FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C, the inventive departure fromthe embodiment as illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B is that the headsupport 1 has a set of holes 13 formed on the exterior surface of thehead support 1, while also takes advantage of apertures 11 on theexterior surface of the head support 1 to facilitate air flow within thehead support. Furthermore, the head support 1 has a forming buffermaterial 3 combined with a top portion of the exterior surface of thehead support, wherein the forming buffer material 3 can be made from amold formed foam, or a foaming material. Some beneficial aspects of theinstallation of forming buffer material include the fact that the headsupport 1 can not only provide mechanical support and facilitated aircirculation, but also buffering and shock absorbing effects. In additionto the above structural difference, other structural features of theembodiment as disclosed in FIG. 3 are reiterated and therefore referredback to the disclosure as in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B.

As indicated in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the inventive departure from FIGS. 1Aand 1B is that, the head support 1 has on its surface a buffer material4 combined with a top portion of an exterior surface of the head support1. The buffer material 4 can be made from a foam material, high-densityfoam, memory foam, or natural latex foam. The buffer material 4 can becombined with the head support 1 by way of glue or Velcro or otherequivalents. Some beneficial aspects of the installation of the buffermaterial 4 are that a buffering intervention is provided with between auser's head and the head support 1, which at the same time, absorbs theshock force imparted by a user upon the head support 1 as the user liesdown upon the head support 1. This essentially minimizes the contactforce upon a user's head, thereby preventing discomfort caused by excessshock force on the head as the user lies down to rest to sleep, andtherefore maintaining a comfortable sleep environment for the user. Inaddition to the above structural difference, other structural featuresof the embodiment as disclosed in FIG. 4 are reiterated and thereforereferred back to the disclosure as in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B.

As indicated in FIG. 5, the inventive departure from FIGS. 1A and 1B isthat the head support 1 has on its surface a damper material 14 appliedto a top portion of an exterior surface of the head support 1. Thedamper material may be made of a material selected from the groupconsisting of a gel material, a latex material, a silicon gel material,a soft rubber material, a soft synthetic rubber material, and a softpolyurethane material. Some beneficial aspects of the implementation ofthe damper material include shock absorption or minimized contact forceon a user's head as the user lies down to rest to sleep, therebypreventing discomfort in the user by evenly dissipating to the externalpressure the user's head and neck Damper material 14 is also believed toprovide an anti-slippery effect, minimizing involuntary movement of thehead of a user while the user is sleeping. The composition material ofthe damper material 14 is less capable of absorbing heat, and possessesair cooling effect. Additionally, the deployment of the damper material14 on the exterior surface of the head support 1 is executed entirelyunder the discretion of the user. In addition to the above structuraldifference, other structural features of the embodiment as disclosed inFIG. 5 are reiterated and therefore referred to the disclosure as inFIG. 1A and FIG. 1B.

As illustrated in FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 6C, the inventive departure fromFIGS. 1A and 1B is that the exterior surface of the head support 1 mayinclude, in an orderly consecutive fashion, a contoured surface. Thedamper material 14 may also be directly applied on the surface of thebuffer material 4 before attaching the buffer material 4 onto the headsupport 1. It is desired that an air flow passage is formed on theexterior surface of the head support 1. The combination of the buffermaterial 4 and the damper material 14 not only can absorb shock andminimize shock force from the contact between a user's head and the headsupport 1, but can also transfer out any residual thermal energy thatmay be stored in the head support 1, thereby delivering a air-coolingeffect, and improving the functionality of the present invention. Theinventive embodiment provides the user with a variety of choices tocustomize towards his or her demand for sleep condition. In addition tothe above structural difference, other structural features of theembodiment as disclosed in FIG. 6 are reiterated and therefore referredto the disclosure as in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B.

With reference now to FIG. 7, the inventive departure from FIGS. 1A and1B is that the top portion of the exterior surface of the head support 1may be equipped with at least one fastener 7 facilitating releasableretention of a detachable material, in particular, attaching a headsupport 1 with a water pack 6. The fastener 7 may be Velcro loops orVelcro hooks, and the corresponding locations on the bottom surface ofthe water pack 6 may also have Velcro loops or Velcro hooks, so that thewater pack 6 may be securely attached to the top surface of the headsupport 1, permitting a user to lean against the water pack 6.Additionally, the fastener 7 is not limited to using Velcro loops orVelcro hooks, as other attachable fasteners such as buttons, zippers, orother equivalents may also be used. Furthermore, it is to be appreciatedthat the fastener 7 may be set up to meet the surface of the breathablewrapper 2 when the head support 1 is placed under the breathable wrapper2.

In view of FIG. 8, the inventive departure from FIGS. 1A and 1B is thata bag 61 may be attached by, for example, a glue to the top exteriorsurface of the head support 1 in such a way that the combination of thebag 61 and the head support 1 is integrated therefrom, and the bag 61can be injected with a predetermined fluid, thereby forming a water pack6 on the top exterior surface of the head support 1, permitting a userto lean against the water pack 6. Additionally, the head support 1having a water pack formed on its top exterior surface by wayon-the-spot injection of fluid into the water pack may be placed underthe breathable wrapper 2.

Turning now to FIGS. 9A and 9B, when a user 5 leans his or her head uponthe head support 1, it is believed that the user will benefit fromabsorbing shock from contact with the present invention. As mentionedabove, the present invention provides good support to the head as aresult of the use of solid-state materials or semi-solid-state materialsas construction materials to make the head support 1, and also providesbuffering and shock-absorbing effects as a result of the use of a hollowcase 16 as the interior setup of the head support 1. With respect to theair-cooling aspect of the present invention, heat created from the headof the user 5 can be channeled through the head support 1, and be drawnout by air convection through the multi-pointing arrangement of theapertures 11 and holes 13; while at the same time, air flow istransferred into the head support 1 to cool down the head support 1,avoiding thermal accumulation, thereby dissipating heat through naturalair circulation. It is to be appreciated from the effects created abovethat a healthy environment characterized by ample oxygen supply isachieved and the user 5 may therefore benefit from the condition createdtherefrom.

With respect to FIG. 10, the inventive departure from FIGS. 9A and 9B isthat buffer material 4 characterizes the place the head of the user 5lies upon. It is to be appreciated that this embodiment of the presentinvention provides desirable softness and enhances comfort to the headof the user 5, highlighting the features of shock absorption and contactforce reduction. Additionally, it is believed that the user 5 willbenefit from the sleep accessory embodied in the present inventionfeaturing good head support, air permeability, air circulation, andtemperature regulation, as a result of the air channel created by theuse of a contoured surface 15 and buffer material 4 on the exteriorsurface of the head support 1. As well, this embodiment provides awell-maintained thermal hemeostatis in the user. Other potentialbenefits of this embodiment as disclosed in FIG. 10 are reiterated andtherefore referred to the disclosure as in FIG. 7.

In comparison to the prior art, the pillow construction of the presentinvention has the following advantages:

1. In the pillow construction of the present invention, the use of abreathable cover sheet 2 in conjunction with an installation of aperture11, hole 13, slit 12, and breathable contoured surface 15 facilitatesventilation of air flow within the head support 1 to provide us abreathable, well-ventilated, and air-cooling sleep accessory, so as tokeep in tune a state of sleep with well regulated thermal homeostatis inthe user.

2. In the pillow construction of the present invention, the head supportis made from a material selected from a group consisting of solid-statematerials and semi-solid-state materials, which essentially stabilizesthe construction of the integrity of the pillow construction, andprovides sufficient support to the head.

3. In the pillow construction of the present invention, a buffermaterial or a damper material is adopted, optimizing the elasticity ofthe pillow construction and its shock absorption ability as theselection of the buffer material or damper material help, in part, inevenly distributing pressure from the neck on the pillow construction.This raises sleep comfort for the user.

1. A pillow construction, comprising: a head support having a hollowcase that defines an interior structure of the head support, wherein atleast one aperture is formed on a plurality of horizontally opposed sidewalls on an exterior surface of the head support; and a breathable coversheet, which directly covers the exterior surface of the head support.2. The pillow construction according to claim 1, wherein at least oneslit or one hole is formed on the exterior surface of the head support.3. The pillow construction according to claim 1, wherein a formingbuffer material is combined with a top portion of the exterior surfaceof the head support.
 4. The pillow construction according to claim 1,wherein the head support is made of a material selected from the groupconsisting of plastic material, metallic material, wooden material, andbamboo material.
 5. A pillow construction, comprising: a head support,wherein a hollow case defines an interior structure of the head support,and at least one aperture is formed on horizontally opposed side wallson an exterior surface of the head support; a buffer material, which iscombined with a top portion of an exterior surface of the head support;and a breathable cover sheet, which directly covers the exterior surfaceof the head support and an exterior surface of the buffer material. 6.The pillow construction according to claim 5, wherein at least one slitor hole is formed on the exterior surface of the head support.
 7. Thepillow construction according to claim 5, wherein a contoured surfacedefines the exterior surface of the head support, and a combination ofthe contoured surface and the buffer material forms an air flow passage.8. The pillow construction according to claim 5, wherein the headsupport is made of a material selected from the group consisting of aplastic material, a metallic material, a wooden material, and a bamboomaterial.
 9. The pillow construction according to claim 5, wherein thebuffer material is made of a material selected from the group consistingof a mold-formed foam, a high-density foam, a memory foam, and a naturallatex foam.
 10. The pillow construction according to claim 5, whereinthe buffer material is combined with a damper material.
 11. A pillowconstruction, comprising: a head support, wherein a hollow case definesan interior structure of the head support, and at least one aperture isformed on horizontally opposed side walls on an exterior surface of thehead support; a damper material, which is applied to a top portion of anexterior surface of the head support; and a breathable cover sheet,which directly covers the exterior surface of the head support and anexterior surface of the elastormeric material.
 12. The pillowconstruction according to claim 11, wherein at least one slit or hole isformed on the exterior surface of the head support.
 13. The pillowconstruction according to claim 11, wherein a contoured surface definesthe exterior surface of the head support, and a combination of thecontoured surface and the buffer material forms an air flow passage. 14.The pillow construction according to claim 11, wherein the head supportis made of a material selected from the group consisting of a plasticmaterial, a metallic material, a wooden material, and a bamboo material.15. The pillow construction according to claim 11, wherein the dampermaterial is made of a material selected from the group consisting of agel material, a latex material, a silicon gel material, a soft rubbermaterial, a soft synthetic rubber material, and a soft polyurethanematerial.
 16. A pillow construction, comprising: a head support, whereina hollow case defines an interior structure of the head support, and atleast one aperture is formed on horizontally opposed side walls on anexterior surface of the head support; and a water pack, which isattached to a top portion of the exterior surface of the head support.17. The pillow construction of claim 16, wherein the top portion of theexterior surface of the head support is equipped with at least onefastener facilitating releasable retention of the water pack.
 18. Thepillow construction of claim 16, wherein the water pack is attached tothe head support with a glue.
 19. The pillow construction of claim 16,wherein the head support and the water pack may be enclosed togetherunder a breathable cover sheet.